Candy forming machine



NOV. 17, 1931. v H SERGENT .1,831,826

CANDY'FORMING MACHINE Filed sept. 28. 192s 7 sneets-sneet 1 NOV. 17, 1931. w, H, SERGENT 1,831,826

yCANDY FORMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 nvsmar L' @JmL/@m Nov. 17, 1931. w. H. SERGENT 1,831,826

CANDY FORMING MACHINE Filed sept. 28, 1928 7 sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 17, 1931. w. H. SERGENT 1,831,826

CANDY FORMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hllll IIIIIW Nv, 17, 1931. w. H'. SERGENT 1,831,826

l CANDY FORMING MACHINE Fi-ld sept; 28, 1928 7 sheets-sheet 6 :e a y 46 anulan limllm; f2?

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il "f 40 Nov. 17, 1931. w. H. SERGENT CANDY FORMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. SERGENT, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGrNOlBI TO IDEAL WRAIIING MACHINE COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEVI YORK,.A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CANDY FORMIITG. MACHINE This invention relates to a machine and method of manufacturing candy and concerns itself with a method for forming a sheet of candy dough, slitting the sheet into "Ml-Q strips and separating the strips preferably in different vertical planes, producing a staggered relation so that the same will not stick or adhere to each other and advancing the strips in separated relation, realigning them F` Eh 1n the same plane and shearing the same into trate a preferred embodiment of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views.

On the drawings: l Figure 1 is a side elevationalv view of the a apparatus involving this invention.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional `View taken upon the line IIL-HI of Figure 2,

looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is an enlarded sectional View taken upon the line IV--IVcof Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine.

: iv Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line VI--VI of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fro-nt elevational view of the machine. y i

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevaf f'f tional view of the shearing mechanism.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8, showing the swingable features of the shears in dotted lines. Y

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view 57: taken upon the line X--X of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line XI--XI of Figure 7, looking .in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11,

53 showing the parts in a different position.

Serial No. 309,044.

Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken upon the line `XIVXIV of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings eferring now to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of this invention; It will be observed that the machine is supported upon a suitable frame consisting of supporting Alegs 1 and upper side members 2, which carry bearings for parts of the machine.

The side members 2 are connected by transverse beams 3 (Figure 2) which support afeed table or platform 4. In connection with the feed table 4, are a pair of sizing rolls 5 and 6 which are respectively mounted upon shafts 7 and 8, which are journalled in beaings in the side members 2. It will be noted that the bearings for the shaft 7 consist of bearing blocks 9 which are slidable in bearing bores formed in the side members Each bearing bloclr 9 is connect-ed with a screw 11'. Each screw 11 extends through a cap piece 12 bolted to spaced projections 13 upon the side members 2 as shown inFigure 1. Beneath each cap piece 12 there is a collar 14 upon the screw shafts 11 and above the cap piece 12 each screw 11 is provided with a. pinion 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 upon a transverse shaft 17 journalled in the bea-ring caps 12. The shaft 17 is provided with a hand wheel 18 upon one end whereby the same may be rotated for raising or lowering the bearing blocks 9, together with the roller for adjusting the pass between the two rolls.

The roller 6 has a longitudinallycorrugated periphery and side flanges 19which overlap the ends of the roller 5) The rollers 5 and 6 are normally7 spaced apart to provide a closed pass through which the candy dough vis forced and from which the candy dough merges in ther form of a sheet. The sheet of candy that is formed by the sizing rolls 5 and G, passes between the strip forming rolls 2() and 21 which are respectively mounted upon shafts 22 and 23. The ends of the shafts 22 and 23 are journalled in suitable bearings carried by the side members 2 and the bearing blocks 9a for the shaft 22, are

adjustable by means of screws 117 pinions 15 and 16, and a transverse hand rotated shaft 17 in the same way as the blocks 9 for the shaft 7 in order that the strip that passes between the rolls 2() and 21 may be varied.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that each of the rolls 20 and 21 consist of annular ridges or 1rings 20a with intermediate grooves 206. The rings or ridges of one roll fitin the annular grooves of the other roll whereby Y a'series of staggered passes 24 are formed between the roll. It will be noted that the sides of the ridges or rings 20a are perpendicular to the aXis of the rolls. Consequently7 as a sheet passes between the rolls the same will be sheared into strips as these rings enter the grooves of the opposite rolls. On account of the staggered relation of these passes the strips will be separated in vertical planes. In other words, they will have a staggered relation avoiding thereby any possibility of their sticking togetherI and causing a mess. If desirable, the bottom of the grooves in the roll 21 may be serrated or corrugated in order to more thoroughly advance the strips as shown in Figure 2.

The strips of candy dough are separately carried from each pass and realigned in the same horizontal plane for shearing purposes. To this end there is a platform (Figure 2) which leads from the upper series of passes 24 and a platform 26 which leads from the lower series of passes. Each platform is divided into diverging guideways 27 (Figure 5.) The guideways are formed by suitable upright strips 28 upon the platforms.

In referring to Figure 67 it will be noted that mechanism has been provided for removably supporting the platform 25. To this end, lugs 28a are secured to the platform 25 and suitable screws 285 extending through the lower platform 26 are threaded in the lugs 28a. Obviously, by unscrewing the screws 285 the platforn'l 25 may be removed.

ln referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the platform 25 ends at a suitable distance from the strip forming rolls and that the platform 26 continues to a shearing platform 27. Consequently, the strips will drop down upon the platform 26 when they reach the end of the platform 25. Spaced a short distance from the end of the platform and just above the platform 267 there is a shaft 28 upon which a plurality of spaced collars 29 are secured. Each collar 29 is provided with a plurality of sharp pins or projections 30 which are adapted for piercing the strips and advancing` the same. lt will be noted that the collars 29 are sufficiently spaced from the platform 26 to allow the strips to pass thereunder. The shaft 29ay is journalled in slidable bearing blocks 31 which are controlled by adjustable screws 32, whereby the strip advancing shaft 29a may be raised and lowered according -to the thickness of the strips that are being rolled. Extending lengthwise of the shearing plat` form, th re is a fiber inset 33 for roaction with a shears 34 mounted directly above the inset. rlhe shearing plate 34 is adapted for vertical reciprocating movements, and also for swinging movements as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, for discharging the cut piecesfrom the shearing platform.

The sheared pieces will descend the chute 35 below which there is an enrobing belt, not shown, for coating the cut pieces. The shearing plate 34 is secured to a plate-like support 36 best shown in Figure 7. The support 36 is connected by a pair of parallel links 37 to crank arms 38, secured upon a shaft 39 which is journalled in a suitable support at the top of the frame. The shears 34 is reciprocated by a pair of rods 40 which are pivoted at their upper end to lugs 41 pivoted to the shear support 36. The lower ends of the rods 40 are pivoted to lugs 42 which are in turn pivoted to levers 43 (Figure 2) which are atk tached to a shaft 44 which is suitably journalled. in bearings attached to the legs of the machine. An arm 45 is secured to the shaft 44. rPhe upper end of the arm 45 is provided with a roller 46 which travels in a cam groovel 4T of a cam 48 secured upon a shaft 49 which is suitably journalled upon the framework of the machine. Suitable mechanism has been provided as will later be set forth for rotating the cam 48 and oscillating the shaft 44. The oscillation of the shaft 44 will raise and lower the rods 40 for reciprocating the shears Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the cam `groove 47 is so constructed that the shears will be slightly raised after each actuation thereof so as to be clear of the shear blocks when the same are swung for dis charging the cut pieces.

The interior portion of the cam 48 is provided with an eccentric groove 50 in which a stud 51 operates. The stud 51 is secured to the end of a lever 52 (Figure 14), having a hub which is secured upon a shaft 54 (Fig ure 1). The shaft 54 is j ourn alled in a sleeve bearing 55 upon the end of a bracket 56 secured to one of the legs of the framework. Upon the end of the shaft there is secureda lever 57 to which a reciprocating rod 58 is pivoted. The upper end of the rod 58 is pivoted to an arm 59 secured to the aforementioned shaft 39. whereby the reciprocation of the shaft 58 will rock the shaft 39 and swin the shears 34, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, for dischargingl the pieces of candy that have been sheared from the strips.

hfeans are provided for scrapin the shears 34 during their swinging n'xovements. To this end two pairs of arms 60 are loosely journalled upon the shaft 39 through the instrumentality of hubs 60o. Each hub 60a has an upstanding lug 61 and these lugs face each other. Each lug is provided with a spring retaining stud 62 upon which a coilv spring 63 is mounted. Eachpair of thearms 60 carry swiping plates 64 at their lower ends. It will be noted that these swipingrplates engage the sides of the shearing blade 34; being pressed resiliently against such sides by theexpansion of the coil springs 63. It will be noted that the shearing blade 34 passes between the swiping plates 64 during its reciprocating movements by the rods 40.

The various operating elements of the machine are driven from asingle source of power which is shown in the present instance, as a motor 65 (Figure 1), having a shaft 66 provided with a small pinion 67 which is geared to a large spur gear 68 secured upon a shaft 69. A. small spur gear 70 is secured upon the shaft 69 and the same meshes with a larger spur gear 71 secured upon a shaft 7 2. Upon the shaft 72 there is a medium sized spur gear 7 3 which meshes with a gear 74 secured upon the cam shaft 49 which makes one revolution foreach piece of candythatis cut off. A small pinion 7 5 is secured upon the shaft 49 and meshes with a large spur gear 76 secured upon a shaft 77. The small pinion 78 upon the shaft 77 drives a gear 79 secured upon a shaft 80. Upon the shaft 80 there is a gear 81 which meshes with a gear 82 secured upon the shaft 23 of the lower strip forming rolls. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 23 there is a second gear 82 which operates id lergear 83, which in turn, drives an idler pinion 84 that meshes with and drives a gear 85 secured upon the shaft 22 of the upper strip forming roll. The aforementioned idler pinion 83 also drives a pinion 86 upon the shaft 8 of the lower sizing roll and the idler gear l83 also meshes and drives an idler pinion 87, which in turn, meshes with and drives a gear 88 upon the sha-ft 7 of the upper sizing roll.

Upon the shaft 22 of the upper strip forming rolls, there is a sprocketgear 89.. Uponthe shaft 28 of the pin wheels 29, there is a sprocket gear 90. The sprocket gears 89 and 90 are connected by a sprocket chain 91, whereby the pin wheels are driven for advancing the strips.

It will be noted that the apparatus heretofore described is capable of forming a batch of candy dough into a sheet and then Vshearing said sheet into suitable strips having a staggered relation; that is, separated from eachother in different planes so asvnot to adhere to each other, then advancing the strips and aligning them in the same horizontal plane and then simultaneously shearing the strips into suitable pieces of candy and discharging the saine down the chute An enrobing belt, not shown, is adapted to receive the pieces of candy for dipping or coating purposes. It should` however, be understood that this particular method may be readily carried out in a different kind of apparatus than the one disclosed in the specification. i

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereoii otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a candy forming mechanism, means for forming a sheet of candy, means for longitudinally severing said sheet in staggered relation, means for realining the strips in the saine plane, a reciprocable shears for transversely shearing said alined strips means for reciprocating said shears, and means for swinging said shears in an arc for discharging the sheared pieces.

2. In a candy forming machine, sizing rolls for .forming a sheet of candy, a pair of rolls having a plurality of passes in different horizontal planes for forming the sheet into strips and separating the strips in vertical planes, guiding means for the separated strips, a reciprocable shears for cutting suitable pieces fromsaid strips, means for reciprocating said shears and means for swinging said'shears for discharging the pieces.

3. In a candy forming machine, a pair of sizing rolls for forming a sheet of candy, coacting rolls having passes at different elevations for shearing said sheet into strips, a guide platform extending from each elevation, a common platform for receiving the strips from said guide platforms, and means for shearing said strips on said common platform.

4. In a candy forming machine, a pair of sizing rolls for forming a sheet of candy, a pair of rolls having staggered passes for forming said sheet into separate strips, guides extending from said passes for conveying said strips in separated relation, a recipro-` cable shears for shearing said strips, means for supporting said shears for swinging movements, and means for swinging said shears.

5. In a machine for forming candy, a pair of sizing rolls for forming a sheet of candy, a pair of rolls having mutually interftting parts for shearing said sheet into strips and simultaneously separating alternate strips in diHerent horizontal planes, a guiding platform in alignment with each plane, the upper platform being shorter than the lower platform whereby the strips upon the upper platform simultaneously descend upon the lower platform, a shearing platform, means for advancing said strips upon the shearing platform, a reciprocable shears for transversely shearing said strips, means for reciprocating said shears a pivotal support for said shears, and means for swinging said shears laterally for discharging the sheared pieces. l

6. In a candy forming machine a pair of nism for forming a sheet of candy, mechasizmg rolls for forming a sheet of candy, a nism for forming said sheet into strips, and pair of rolls having alternate grooves and mechanism for shearing said strips into ridges for shearing said sheet into strips and pieces and discharging the saine, comprising separating alternate strips in different planes, a reciprocable shearing element, wiping ele- ,l

means for advancing said strips and realignments in engagement with the sides of said ing the same in the same horizontal plane, a shearing element, a pivotal support for said shaft, a support secured upon said shaft, a shearing element, means for reciprocating shears connected to said support for reciprosaid shears below said wiping elements, and eating movement, means for lowering said then swinging the saine for discharging the shears for a shearing operation and then par- Cnt pieces. tially elevating the same, and means for roclrl2. In a candy forming machine, mechaing said shaft after such partial elevation of niSIn for formingstrips of candy, mechasaid shears to swing the saine for discliargnism for shearing said strips, comprising a ing the shea-red pieces. shearing element, wiping elements yieldingly 7. In a candy forming machine for foimacting upon the sides of said shearing eleing a sheet of candy, mechanism for slitting ment, means for reciprocating said shearing said sheet into strips and separating alternate element relative to said wiping elements, and st rips into different planes, guiding mechaineens for Swinging' said shearing element 1115111 for sgpargigly advancing Said Strips, 1, 11'1 2111 lIC When til@ Sinne iS bGlOW SllCl wiping shearing platform, means .for advancing said elements for discharging the sheai'ed pieces. strips upon said shearing platform, a verti- '13 In a Candy forming machine, mechacally reciprocable shears above said platform, IHSIH Or Orlning thel Candy into Strips and a a pivotal support for said shears, a cam, and Shearlng element for shearing said strips,

a connection between said cani and shears for lneehlnieln Ol adVanCing Said shearing ele- 1 lowering the gaine for a shearing @perm-,ion ment for a cutting operation and partiallyreand partially elevating the same, and a con- 'fleeting the Seine, and means fOr Swinging nection between said @am and Shears for said shearing element in its retracted posiswinging the latter after such partial eleva- OII fOr diSChLrging the Shealed piecestion of the same.

8. In a candy forming machine, mechasupport, ashears mounted upon said support nism for forming strips of candy, a shearing fOr reCiprOCating and Swinging movement, platform, means for advancing Said Strips driving mechanism for reciprocating said into separated relation upon said shearing shears in one direction and partially retractplatform, a shaft above said platform, arms 111g the Seme, and Ineens OI Swinging the secured to said shaft, a shearing element, Shears after sneh partial retraCtiOn. links connecting said shearing element and l5. In a candy forming machine, a pair of arms, a cam connection between said cam and CO-lCPIlg' relis having staggered passes for shearing element for lowering the same for a forming strips of candy, a shearing platform., shearing operation and partially elevating guldlng means eXtending frOIn each pass fOr the same, and a connection between said cam directing Said StriPS t0 Said shearing platand shaft for rocking the same after such Orm, a' reCiprOCable and sWingable shears partial elevation. above said platform and means for recipro- 9. In a candy foi-ming machine, a pair 0f eating and swinging saidshears for shearing sizing rolls for forming a sheet of candy, a and dSCharglng the Cnt pieces. pair of coacting rollssoconstructed as to shear 16. In a Candy forming machine, mechasaid sheet into longitudinal strips and sepa- IliSm fOr errnlrlg 2 1 Sheet Of Candy, lneeharate said strips in different vertical planes, a I11SII1 for slitting Said Sheetl into slits and adguiding platform extending from each plaine VilllClIlg the S11ne, a l'eCl'prOCable shears fOr for separately guiding said strips, a shear/ingjransversely shearing said strips, a .pivotal platform, means for advancing said strips .SUPPOr fOr Sad SheflrSJTlGmS fOr reciprocatupon said shearing platform, a reciprocable 111g SaidrShearS .and ineens for rocking said shears for coaction with said platform for SUPPOrt fOr SWlnglIlgeUd Shears for distransversely shearing said strips and means Cherglrlgthe Seiered pieces. for swinging said shears for discharging said In eStlmOIly whereof I have hereunto suhstrips. scribed my name at Middletown, Orange 10. In a candy forming machine, mecha- County, New York. nism for forming strips of candy, a recipro- WALTER H. SERGENT. cable shears, wiping elements in engagement with said shears, means for reciprocating said shears relative to said wiping elements, and means for swinging said shears in an arc while the same projects beyond said wiping elements for discharging the sheared pieces.

1l. In a candy forming machine, mechalll. In a candy forming machine, a pivotal f 

